The leaves are in opposite pairs, the lower ones being stalked and forming a rosette while the upper ones are unstalked.

The corolla is regular, from 1 to 2 cm (0.4 to 0.8 in) in diameter with five pink, deeply notched petals.

[2] Alpine catchfly is found in northern Europe including Norway, Sweden, Finland and Lapland and in the Alps, northern Apennines and the Pyrenees where it grows on rocks including extra-alkaline serpentine rocks, gravel banks beside rivers, sand banks, sea cliffs and nutrient-poor, stony areas.

[2] In Greenland and North America it is found on tundra, barren rocky areas, gulleys and riverside shingle, grassy slopes and sea cliffs.

In general it thrives where other plants that are less tolerant of high concentrations of copper and heavy metals in the soil do not.